Nino Benvenuti vs Fernando Vargas

Nino

 

Italian much better boxer wins ud

 

Good Heavens ! You've done Vargas a right good deed here, putting him in the same sentence as Benvenuti.

 

I think most would favor Nino but to me, pre Trinidad Vargas is a very live fighter. Let's not forgot how he performed against Ike Quartey and Winky Wright before his beatdown loss to Tito. He was a very strong boxer puncher with tonss of heart but shakey defense and chin. On the plus side for Vargas, Nino was not a heavy hitter at all so Vargas's sketchy chin gets a break.

All things considered, I would take Nino by UD but it would not shock me if the best version of Vargas (pre tito) wears Nino down and stops him late. Interesting fight.

 

Vargas would also have a speed advantage

 

Oh, come on Steak. You've nailed it and then come up with a distance fight ?
Shaky defence and chin against an expert like Benvenuti ? Great big heart or not, he's stopped or pulled out after the eighth.

 

Nino was not a heavy puncher just look at his knockout percentage. Prime Vargas went the distance with some pretty murderous punchers. Rewatch the Vargas/Trinadad fight. He ate some murderous shots from Tito until being stopped late.

 

Nino wins but its on his boxing ability.

 

Look, I not disrespecting Nino. He was a great fighter and I think he would likely win this fight. Vargas is a guy to me that had a very short prime for whatever reason. Maybe it was his weight issues or the damage he took against Tito or the rough crowd he ran with outside of the ring but done whatever reason he was never the same after Tito. Before Tito he faced brutal punchers like Yory Boy Campus, Ike Quartey and Tito himself and handled their power well for the most part. All three of those guys hit considerably harder than Nino.

Could Nino KO Vargas? He absolutely could. But to me it is more likely that he wins via decision. Again, I am assuming we are talking about the best version of both fighters.

A lot of folks seem to be remembering only the shot version of Vargas that was getting hurt by Raymond Joval and Mayorga and not the outstanding Olympian and youngest world champ at 154 ever. Prime Vargas was a monster fighter.

 

Nino UD or late TKO.

 

If we’re fighting 15 rounds, I see Nino by late TKO.

Vargas to me lost steam after early rounds and Nino is in it for the long haul. I think he breaks Vargas down and eventually gets a TKO over a weary foe.

 

Prime-for-Prime - I'd have to go with Benvenuti, but I'd expect it to be good match.